Tag Archives for Writer Resources

I did a blog post on how or where do we come up with blog content. There are some weeks the idea comes to me other times I have to sit down and really think on it. But what came to my mind a day or two ago was is it okay to reuse a post I have written in the past? After all with new subscribes to my website not everyone will have seen all the post. Not everyone, including me, will go back and see what a particular person has written since their website was created.

But is it cheating or being smart to reuse something already posted or just being resourceful? Some posts in the pasts were received really well and were pertinent to the craft of writing. Some information never gets old and are as useful now as it was when first posted.

Like with most anything, the craft of writing includes always learning to improve yourself. So reposting something could be beneficial. But could this be another way for me to be lazy and justify using old post? I can see how that could be as well. Fresh content does help one’s creative juice flowing with coming up with something new which is awesome.

Do you compete in writing competitions? There are so many out there for writers. They can vary from genre, age group to paid or free. You can find them from organizations like the ones I am part of such as the SCWBI and NCWN and also in magazines such as Writer’s Digest.

It is a great way to showcase your skill to the judges. There are usually thousands of people who compete and whether you win or not it’s a good way to get you to write. I have done quite a few competitions, still looking for my first placing, and each time I am hopeful that this is the time that I will win. There are times the winners are published for all to read and I am blown away and understand why this writer won.

But before you say, “Wait just a minute Sharon. I can’t afford the entry fee” I am of the frugal sort. I will do the competitions that are free which are out there you just have to look. It could be as simple as a competition from the local paper, one that your Art Council promotes or even as easy as writing a jingle for a product off the radio. There is no harm in starting small. Bottom line it is getting you to think and getting words down.

A few of my competition pieces have been extended into fuller stories to which gets a life of its own which has been a plus.

I will keep trying who knows maybe one day I can post here that I won.

Bad reviews comes from a few forms. One reason is it comes from a troll, two being someone who read it and just didn’t like it to three you read their book and you didn’t give them the review they wanted.

When my first book came out I did receive a bad review. Now I have read enough where it has been proven that having a bad review is a good thing. However this review came one day after the book was released and according to the site it had been a print book.

Last time I checked regular mail does not bring a book in one day. So I talked to Amazon and over the few following months they removed it, the person placed it again, Amazon removed it and so on. But finally it was taken care of.

But again having a bad review can be a good thing. How so? Well it is like a child being told they can’t do something and so they go about doing it around the parents back. When people seer a bad review or a low rating but yet all the other ratings are high it might make you take a chance on the book. I know that has worked for me anyway. Bottom line if nothing else it I a review which means it is getting noticed.

Look, I get it. A bad review is not fun to get but you know what every author deals with it even the authors who are well established. I have read a few books from best sellers to well know authors and they don’t always hit a home run.

And as a writer you must have a tough skin for not everyone is going to like what you write. It happens to the majority of writers if not all. The sooner you can accept it will happen the easier it will be. Spend your time and energy on your next novel.